SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Rex Brothers arrived at spring training intent on showing the Rockies’ decision makers a mid-90s fastball and a wicked slider. Until this afternoon, he was only getting half the job done.

He was firing away with his heater, but couldn’t find his slider. Until he faced the Reds today, that is. “It was leaps and bounds better today than it’s been all camp,’’ said Brothers. “I’ve been wondering, did I leave it in Tennessee?”

Brothers, a left-hander from the Volunteer State, doesn’t figure to open the season in the Rockies’ bullpen. Then again, stranger things have happened.

“We’re still talking about a lot of things,” said Rockies manager Jim Tracy. “I’m not going to answer that question yes, and I’m not going to answer that question no.”

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Jim Tracy was asked an hour or so ago about Jordan Pacheco’s chances of being on the Rockies’ opening day roster.

Tracy, as he is wont to do, didn’t answer the question. But it’s getting to the point where he doesn’t have to.
The Rockies don’t need to announce it. They’re making a bold enough statement about Pacheco by playing him in Cactus League games in mid-March.

“We’re challenging the kid a little bit, we are,” said Tracy. “This kid has tremendous poise. He has a tremendous sense of awareness. And nobody in this camp would argue the fact that he can flat hit.
“He can situational hit, he knows how to play the game … he’s ready to play every single pitch. That, in my mind, is what connotes a championship-caliber player.”

Hits: Jhoulys Chacin worked five innings, allowing four hits and one run. His snapshot moment came in the third when, after hitting Drew Stubbs with a pitch and walking Brandon Phillips, he got N.L. MVP Joey Votto to ground out to first on a curveball. … Jordan Pacheco was 0-for-9 before doubling and singling in consecutive at-bats. Pacheco, who is getting a long look behind the plate, also threw out Phillips trying to steal in the first. … Rafael Betancourt, Franklin Morales and Rex Brothers all threw a scoreless inning out of the bullpen. Morales hasn’t allowed a run and has walked only one in five innings. … The win improved the Rockies’ Cactus League record to 12-6. … B game alert: Ian Stewart went 2-for-4 vs. the Angels at Tempe in his first game action since the Cactus League opener. … John Maine, meanwhile, pitched 3 1/3 innings, allowing four hits and two runs.

TEMPE, Ariz. — John Maine’s reaction to his outing is, in many ways, why the Rockies signed him. The right-hander was upset about his second inning when the Angels roughed him up today.

“I am tired of worrying about just getting my legs underneath me and working on stuff,” Maine said. “I need to pitch. You won’t see me throwing that slop out there again.”

Maine responded with a strong third inning. His final line was encouraging, enough to keep him hanging around in the fifth starter’s competition with Esmil Rogers and Greg Reynolds. Maine worked 3 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on four hits. He sat between 88-91 mph on his fastball and his slider hit 86 mph with his straight change between 83-86 mph. He struck out a hitter with a slider, a strong indication that his arm is recovering.

“I am not thinking about my health. It’s about getting out there and competing,” Maine said.

Stewart DHs
Ian Stewart enjoyed a nice return after a 15-day absence due to a sprained and bruised right knee. Serving as the team’s DH, Stewart went 2-for-4 in five at-bats with two singles and an RBI and a walk. He blooped a single to left and also hit a hard groundball to right.

The Rockies’ decision makers aren’t just taking a casual glance at Pacheco. They’re taking a long, hard look.
They’re not only letting him play, they’re putting him in a key spot in the batting order.

Pacheco, a minor-league catcher ticketed at the outset of camp for Double A or Triple A, could wind up on the 25-man opening day roster if Ian Stewart isn’t ready to play. At any rate, he has hit the Rockies’ radar screen after starting last season in High A ball.

Pacheco will hit second today against the Reds at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. Here’s a look at the lineups for the two teams:

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The first wave of cuts came Sunday. The roster must be whittled down with specific pitchers needing innings. Here’s a look at the upcoming matchups, with a reminder that Ubaldo Jimenez will be starting in a B game Thursday, allowing Greg Reynolds to continue to make his case for the fifth starter’s spot against the White Sox in the main game.

Patrick, a third-generation Colorado native, is back for his second stint covering the Rockies. He first covered the team from 2005-2009, helping chronicle “Rocktober” in 2007 and also following the team’s playoff run in 2009.

Nick Groke has worked at The Denver Post since 1997, as a sports reporter, city reporter, entertainment writer and digital editor and producer, among other newsroom posts. He also writes regularly about boxing, soccer, MMA and NASCAR.